While Summer Sailstice is connecting sailors and sailing across a wide variety of disciplines and the vast expanse of the oceans we also know it connects people through a heritage spanning generations. Paul Fenn just posted a story on his blog connecting the gift of sailing, Father's Day and Summer Sailsice.
Paul grew up in Noank, CT on the shores of Fisher’s Island Sound and is a lifelong sailor. He currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Kimberlee and their 3 children, Will (13), Mollie (11) and Graham (9). For the past 18 years he has been President of the Jeanneau brand of sailboats in North America. The Fenn family are avid cruisers regularly traveling to such great sailing areas at the Spanish Virgin Islands, BVI, Corsica, the Apostle Islands, San Juan Islands, and Paul’s home waters of New England. You can read more of Paul’s stories at www.pfenn.com.
Paul's story picks up here:
The author, yours truly, at the helm of the Jeanneau 349 on Lake Erie. As I’m always fond of saying, “Life’s too short to sit at the dock.”
This coming Sunday, June 21st, is Father’s Day. Coincidentally, for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year when the sun reaches its northernmost point of the equator marking the first day of summer. In addition to all this, Sunday is also Summer Sailstice, a world wide celebration of all things sailing.
Summer Sailstice was started by John Arndt back in 2001 as a way to share sailing by getting the whole world sailing on the weekend nearest the solstice. “I’ve sailed my whole life and worked in the sailing business for 30 years.” says John. “And like every sailor I know, I always wanted to share sailing with everyone. Sailing comes in an endless variety of styles – racing, cruising, dinghies, tall ships. The enormous variety makes it very challenging for the world to understand and for sailors to unite around a common event. Yet all these sailors are passionate about sailing and all want to share it with others. The Summer Sailstice sailing celebration gives every sailor a date to participate, to hoist sails, to show off their aspect of sailing and to share it with friends and the rest of the world. It’s growing and we’re looking forward to the day when the whole world sails for Summer Sailstice. And, when it gets big enough, it will become a global 3-day weekend for sailors!”
My dad and my Aunt Ruth sailing on Canandaigua Lake aboard the Lorna Doone about 1938. Dad loved to sail and always tried to get all that he could out of the boat and the conditions. I love this picture with his leg draped over the side in an effort to keep the boat sailing flat.